Five Self Help Books To Save Your Soul
So I had a bit of a meltdown at work this week. An accumulation of anxiety, stress and shock caused me to have a massive panic attack in front of my boss and another senior member of staff. I'm at a point now where my anxiety doesn't embarrass me or cause more anxiety, I just get really pissed off that someone has seen me in such an intimate way.
So It went how you'd expect the typical crippling panic attack to go; crying and hyper ventilating whilst I clutch onto my knees. It was pretty scary I won't lie, but once I was through my episode by boss gave me a motivational speech. I won't repeat the words of it in too much depth but five minutes of monologue can be summed up by the phrase "It's a job, fuck it!"
She also took the time to recommend one of her books too me, I'd never actually made an effort to go and read her books, but I know there's quite a collection.
The next day she brought in a copy of her most recent book "Stop Acting Like You're Going To Live Forever" and I'm not particularly dramatic but It's kind of cured my anxiety. I read it when I'm stressed and frantic, I read it right before bed and on my lunch break when I need a breather.
I think I'm a self help book girl.
This blog serves as an extension of my Spring 2020 reading list, for those looking to win back their mojo, smash the day to day or just have a literal kick up the ass to do something they've been putting off. I'll slowly be working my way through this list myself; everyone is on a journey of self-growth whether they choose to acknowledge it.
The Grit
This book is an absolute winner already. For many of us, it's difficult to be fully established in an industry without connections or a natural spark of genius. Author Angelea Duckworth encourages people to buck up their ideas and persevere with their life goals. The idea of 'The Grit' is one we were probably all told about as children or one we've seen written on motivational posters but this book brings together CEO's, celebrities and spelling-bee winners alike so we can learn how they optimised 'The Grit' to get where they are today.
For some unknown reason this book is also on offer, so you can find you motivation and save a couple of quid.
The Year Of Yes!
This book was written by Shonda Rhimes, Writer of Grey's Anatomy. Even if you're not in the TV business you'll still find solace and motivation from her memoir. Shona details her new year's resolution to say yes to every opportunity which comes her way. Other reviews I've seen look absolutely fantastic, reviewers call the book an "An intimate yet hilarious memoir to inspire". I think the idea of this one alone can be beneficial to the way you live your life. Just imagine how many doors you could open with a positive mindset, you might even conquer a few fews along the way.
G,morning, gnight!
Not everyone needs to pour over self help books to get them through the day. Someones all that people need is a smile and a little pep talk to get you through the day. This book does the exact same! Imagine having a motivational boost from Hamilton's Lin-Manuel Miranda. The book's origins are from Twitter: He started and ended each day with little bite-size affirmatn. (Example: "Do NOT get stuck in the comments section of life today.) He offers new insights in his book, but still easy to read in short bursts.
The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up
By now, you've no doubt heard of Marie Kondo and her KonMari Method of purging unnecessary items from your life and organising what remains. So, what are you waiting for? When you're ready to have your house be the cleanest its ever been, her book will take you through all the types of stuffyou've accumulated and tell you how to get a handle on it once and for all. With everything going on in the news at the moment this feels like the perfect book to download during a potential self-isolation and use it as an opportunity to declutter your home!
How Not To Die
We all want to live forever right? This book doesn't feel too much like a self help book to me; I think I always associate 'self-help' with mental wellbeing, but it's obviously not the case as nutrition and physical wellbeing still count. 'How Not To Die' was written by leading nutritionist (Name), who details the top 15 causes of death in America and the top 12 foods to eat to prevent these fatal problems in your life. Now you can have a good go at living forever!
Creativity Inc
Originally this list was only going to be five books, but this one came up in my research and I just had to add it in! People think of Pixar as a company that creates great art — and it is — but it's also a business. One of the co-founders of the animation studio goes into the company's nerve center to show how Pixar's leadership and management styles protect and nourish its creative output. Whether you're a Woody or a Buzz, you can learn something about heading up a team from Pixar's unique organizational structure.
There we go! I won't lie, as I finished the final touches on this blog I placed an order for Creativity Inc. Something which I probably can't really afford right now but if we're all going into quarantine, we may as well stock up on some good reading material.
I really hope this becomes a new genre I'm interested in, I remember hearing older women rave about books like The Secret and maybe it does really help people change their view on life. In all honesty, I'd like to change mine for the better and I'd like to lead a more productive life so if there's a way for me to adapt at my own pace and adopt a more positive mindset, I'm 100% willing to take it on